The Election Commission of India has indicated that the third phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which impacts 23 states and 6 Union Territories, is unlikely to start in April as initially planned. The delay is primarily due to the ongoing 16th census, which began on April 1 and is expected to continue until September 30, utilizing the same booth level officers (BLOs) essential for the SIR. The first stage of the SIR involves the enumeration of each elector over a month, making it challenging to conduct simultaneously with the census. The second phase of the SIR has already faced significant hurdles, including complaints from BLOs about workload and deadline pressures, as well as legal challenges from various state governments. Additionally, discrepancies in roll documentation in West Bengal have led to ongoing Supreme Court litigation, complicating the timeline further. Unlike in Bihar, where the Election Commission refused to extend deadlines, the second phase has seen multiple extensions across different states.